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On the 10th December, 1948, the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  At the time, the world was recovering and rebuilding in many parts of the world resulting from WWII and the Cold War was in its early days.  The UN itself was in its early years, but this Declaration was the first time that countries agreed together on a comprehensive statement of inalienable human rights. 

One of the chief architects of the drafting was an Australian, Dr. Herbert Vere Evatt, a former High Court justice. Dr. Evatt would later become the President of the UN General Assembly and, under his Presidency, the Declaration was adopted.

Every year, World Human Rights Day is observed on the 10th December to commemorate the day the United Nations General Assembly adopted 30 Articles which set out universal values and a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations.

The principles enshrined in the Declaration are as relevant today as they were in 1948 and we need to stand up and take action in our own daily lives to protect our rights and those of others.

As an organisation, Compass is closely aligned with the principles of the Declaration and in particular Article 25:  “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate health and well-being of himself and his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services…”

As part of the 70 year celebrations, some of the Compass team have shared their views on particular Articles of the Declaration and how they, as individuals, can stand up for rights and where they would like to see change.

Leading Statement by Compass GMD Greg Budworth:

As people strive for fulfilment of their individual needs and wants, which are aggregated to some degree in the needs and wants of nations, and which often differ in their respective political, economic and social systems, and often manifest in disproportionate advantages for some and disproportionate exploitation for other within and between nations, human rights provides a basic set of standard conditions to be provided and protected by governments for all people.  To be involved in provision of services to those more likely to be systemically exploited, to be poor, vulnerable and disadvantaged, requires continuous political advocacy and community influence to maintain that basic set of rights against all forces that would seek to dilute, alienate or ignore them.

Article 1: All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

• I would like to see change in people acting towards others in a spirit of brotherhood, instead of allowing bias or prejudice to distract from that equality.  To do my part, I will not assume the negative first.  I will not let fear or mistrust cloud my interactions with people, or look to them from any position other than equal footing.  | Carrie B
• Everyone regardless of gender, nationality, age and ability should have rights to love their life with plenty to eat, shelter, medical attention, education and social inclusion. As one person in part of a greater society, I make a commitment to check in and include all neighbours, friends, work colleagues and relatives to establish a presence for them to know that I am there for them in their time of need or if / when they need help for social inclusion. | Danni M
• Regardless of race, age, social status, gender we all deserve the right to be treated equally. I will continue to work, speak, interact and empower my co-workers, our tenants and our community to act towards one another in a respectful and non-judgemental way. To stand up and speak out against any injustice against a person due an appeared inequality. | Mel H

Article 4: No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.

• More people in servitude today than any time in history. Only 1% are rescued. Let’s get serious about abolishing slavery forever | Therese G

Article 5: No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

• Be courageous; make a noise about cruel or degrading treatment in your neighbourhood. Alert the authorities if it’s inappropriate to intervene directly | Theresa G
• Australia’s stance regarding asylum seekers has resulted in treatment of thousands of people, some of whom have languished in prison-like conditions for many years, that contravenes this Article. Community pressure, including petitions I have signed, has led us to remove many families with children from Nauru and bring them to Australia for treatment. This is a start, but it’s not good enough. We must stop politicising this and recognise the human faces, process them swiftly, and bring them here. | Kerry H

Article 9: No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile

• Indigenous deaths in custody and indeed the mistreatment while in custody in Australia and abroad is unjust and horrific and we need to stand together and demand change. The instances of arbitrary arrest and detention of Indigenous people have not subsided and has led to injury and sadly too many deaths in custody. This continues to be a significant failure and disgrace to our national legal system. We need to demand this is a priority for government and all officers of the law to be educated and trained in making better judgements and to take an oath to improving individual and organisational performance in this area. #standup4humanrights. | Jandy M

Article 19: Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

• I will always listen without judgement or interference. I will always endeavour to defend my rights and the rights of others in our freedom of expression. I will demonstrate respect and empathy. | Emma O

Article 25: (1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.

• I would like to see more education and awareness in the general community about the many causes of homelessness. I will advocate for people experiencing homelessness and do what is within my power to break down misconceptions and to open up conversations about it.| Michelle F
• Homelessness is a massive issue in the hunter and country as a whole. There is a severe lack of emergency accommodation here in the Hunter. I read a story about a gentleman in the UK who was converting buses into mobile sleep bays and mobile bathrooms to help provide people on the streets with a safe place to go for the night, I’d love to see something similar implemented here in Australia to at least provide the homeless with a safe bed and shelter for the night.  | Vanessa K
• As a legal, commercial and procurement professional I may have access to large networks of individuals and organisations that have greater connections, capacity or skills to fundraise. I can engage with these networks to influence change and demand more attention and effort be given to tackle homelessness | Brenden M

MEDIA ALERT - International conference on affordable living in sustainable cities in Newcastle Nov 1-3

Congress Opening: November 1 from 815am to 9.20am in the Concert Hall, Newcastle City Hall

Congress chair: Greg Budworth, Vice Chair, UN Habitat General Assembly of Partners and Compass Housing group managing director

Keynote speaker: Senator Claire Moore, Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific

Welcome to country: The Wakagetti Indigenous Dance Team

Welcome to Newcastle: Lord Mayor of Newcastle, Cr Nuatali Nelmes

Welcome to congress: Yb Puan Hajah Zuraida Bindi Kamaruddin, Minister for Housing and Local Government, Malaysia, and EAROPH President International

NB. In the last session on Friday at 4:30pm at Civic Theatre the congress’ Newcastle Declaration will be unveiled as will the winners of a local school art competition as judged by delegates.

Delegates from around Australia and overseas are about to descend on Newcastle this week for a major international conference on affordable living in sustainable cities.

In a coup for the region, Compass Housing is bringing the Affordable Living in Sustainable Cities international congress, jointly convened by the New Urban Agenda (NUA) Standing Conference and by EAROPH as its 2018 World Congress.

Congress organising chairman, Compass Housing’s Professor David Adamson OBE, said the conferences will feature national and world experts on implementing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as the NUA, the outcome document from the UN Habitat lll Conference held in Quito in 2016.

Key note speakers include:

• Senator Claire Moore, shadow minister for International Development and the Pacific
• Yb Puan Hajah Zuraida Bindi Kamaruddin, Malaysia’s Minister for Housing and Local Government and EAROPH president international
• Dr Peter Cuming, MD, Sustainable Futures Australia, Collaborative Planning for Sustainable Futures, Leadership by Local, Regional and State Authorities
• Michael Nolan, director United Nations Global Compact-Cities Programme
• Emeritus Professor Tim Roberts, Tom Farrell Institute
• Dr Nathaniel Bavington, smart city coordinator, City of Newcastle
• Anthony Kent, University of Melbourne
• Karabaiti Taoboa, Pacific director, Commonwealth Local Government Association
• Professor Ralph Horne, RMIT University
• Prof Will Rifkin, chair in applied regional economics, Hunter Research Foundation, University of Newcastle
• Katherine O’Regan, ED, Cities Leadership Institute
• Mark Glover, CEO, Australian Industrial Ecology Network
• Mizuo Kishita, Urban Public Design Centre, Japan
• Jenny Hayward, senior research scientist, CSIRO
• Associate Professor Graham Brewer, executive director, CIFAL Newcastle

Four local schools are participating in an art competition. The works will be dispayed at the Congress Expo in the Civic Theatre. Delegates and visitors will vote for the winning entry.

At the closing session in Civic Theatre on Friday at 430pm, the congress’ Newcastle Declaration will be unveiled and the art competition winners will be announced.

Professor Adamson said the congress will showcase existing and planned actions that support the achievement of the SDGS and NUA. He said a key objective is to develop synergy between these two critically important frameworks. Congress themes cover the full range of Sustainable Development Goals and address social issues such as housing, poverty, health and hunger as well as physical issues in the urban environment such as water, sanitation, transport and energy.

“These two agreements are closely connected; the NUA is the delivery vehicle for implementing SDGs in urban settlements,” Prof Adamson said. 

“There are 17 SDGs that commit nations to ending poverty, protecting the planet and ensuring prosperity for all,” he said.

“Australian cities are not affordable or sustainable, so it is vital that we work together on solutions.”

He said hosting the Congress was a coup for a regional centre such as Newcastle bringing a boost to the region’s economy.

The Congress will be held at City Hall from November 1 to 3. It is being supported by local organisations including City of Newcastle, Hunter Water and Fly Pelican, as well as RMIT University and the Global Cities Compact Committee. The first Implementing the NUA Congress was held in Melbourne in May 2017.

Australia is one of 193 nations to adopt the 2015 SDGs and one of 167 signatory nations to the NUA.

For more information on the congress, visit www.nuaconference.com

The 17 SDGs are below. Information on how the SDGs and the New Urban Agenda align is available at https://www.sdgsnewurbanagenda.com.